In 2000, an estimated 31 million people -- one in every 10 people in the United States -- were treated for nonfatal injuries in hospital emergency departments, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Accidental falls were one of many reasons why 10 percent of the U.S. population were treated for nonfatal injuries in 2000.
More than 93 percent of these nonfatal injuries were unintentional; however, almost 2 million persons were treated for violence-related injuries, including assaults, intentionally self-inflicted injuries and legal interventions, researchers noted in the May 4 issue of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Further research will investigate the causes of these injuries, according to CDC, and identify those who may be at risk.
While fall accounted for one-fourth of unintentional injuries, other causes included car and bike accidents, burns, poisonings and dog bites.
Males 15 to 24 years of age had the highest nonfatal injury rate, at about 20,500 per 100,000 people.
However, females were more likely to harm themselves than males.
The data are based on information provided by emergency departments and not linked to police departments, CDC researchers noted.
by Virginia Sutcliffe